Pocket Pet · Cavia porcellus · typical adult weight 0.70–1.20 kg
Dexamethasone is dosed at 0.5–2 mg/kg IM once in guinea pigs, per Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.796 (2026-08-01).. Dexamethasone is used in guinea pigs for Shock, severe allergic reaction. Routes documented in guinea pigs: IM. A typical adult guinea pig weighs 0.70–1.20 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Dexamethasone in guinea pigs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Azium, Dexafort
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.5–2 mg/kg | once | Emergency single dose | Shock, severe allergic reaction | Extrapolated | Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.796 (2026-08-01). |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your guinea pig's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
Potent synthetic glucocorticoid. Suppresses inflammation, immune responses, and allergic reactions. 25-30x potency of cortisol.
Immunosuppressive. PU/PD, polyphagia. Avoid in active infections without antibiotic coverage. Prolonged use causes iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism. Avoid in reptiles if possible (severe immunosuppression).
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for guinea pigs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Dexamethasone dose range in guinea pigs, with cited source references: IM 0.5–2 mg/kg once. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Dexamethasone in guinea pigs: IM.
Cited course lengths for Dexamethasone in guinea pigs include: Emergency single dose. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Dexamethasone is indicated in guinea pigs for: Shock, severe allergic reaction.
These are general warnings for Dexamethasone across species; consult the guinea pig dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Immunosuppressive. PU/PD, polyphagia. Avoid in active infections without antibiotic coverage. Prolonged use causes iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism. Avoid in reptiles if possible (severe immunosuppression).
Why a species-specific page? Dexamethasone pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in guinea pigs — the rules above are the citations specific to this species, not generic recommendations.
Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice.